Vladimir Monomakh - “a kind sufferer for the Russian land”

On May 26, 1053, the Kiev prince Vsevolod Yaroslavich and his wife, the “Greek princess”, presumably the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomakh, gave birth to a son, Vladimir, baptized Vasily. He received the nickname Monomakh by mother.

Vladimir Monomakh, the prince of Rostov, Smolensk, Chernihiv, Pereyaslavsky and, finally, the Grand Duke of Kiev, was a multi-faceted person. A statesman, a wise ruler, a talented military leader, a skilled politician, writer and thinker, he left a good memory of himself.

“The people cried about him – according to an ancient book - how they cry for their father or mother. He shone on Russian soil like the sun, letting out the rays. Hearing about him passed through all countries. He was scary to the enemies, and at home he was a brother-lover and a pauper and a kind sufferer for the Russian land”, - wrote philologist and teacher Ivan Khrushchov in the book “Vladimir Monomakh, Grand Duke of Kiev, great-grandson of Vladimir the Holy and His Testament” (1888). This book and many other rare editions, as well as a video lecture by the doctor of historical sciences, professor Yuri Krivosheev, illustrating the life and reign of Vladimir Monomakh, are available on the Presidential Library’s portal.

Historians and researchers are unanimous in assessing the personal qualities of Prince Vladimir. The writer Alexander Salnikov in the collection “Rulers of the Russian land from its beginning to the present day” (1906) describes him this way: “Mild-tempered, truthful, God-fearing, brave warrior <...> The prince was tireless in his work for the benefit of the fatherland as he spent most of his life outside the house, often slept on damp land, did not care about comforts on hikes, got out of bed before dawn, went to church, consulted in various matters with his squad, did court and reprisal among the guilty, traveled to hunt and so on”. 

His favorite pastime, tempering him physically and spiritually, was hunting. He himself tells about this in the “Spiritual Teaching of Grand Duke Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh to his children, named Suzdal’s in the annals” (1793).

Father, Prince Vsevolod, from a young age involved his son in solving state problems and military campaigns. At that time, it was necessary not only to fight with an external enemy - the Polovtsian tribes, but also to wage internecine battles with other Russian princes. The merit of Vladimir Monomakh is that he managed to strengthen Kievan Rus’ by uniting the princes in joint campaigns against the Polovtsy. According to “Reference Book for Those Engaging in the Specific Period of Russian History 1015–1238” published on the Presidential Library’s portal (1869), compiled by historian and archaeologist Dmitry Sontsov, “Vladimir’s activities regarding the establishment of the Russian land and its stable foundation, his efforts to eliminate the feuds of the princes, leading Russia to weaken and powerlessness against external enemies, put him in a prominent place in Russian folk life".

In politics, Vladimir Monomakh showed prudence, as well as human magnanimity. After the death of his father, he could pretend to the throne of Kiev, but ceded authority in seniority to his cousin Svyatopolk in order to avoid new internecine strife. When the son of Vladimir Izyaslav died in the battle with Prince Oleg Svyatoslavich, Monomakh forgave his death to the enemy and offered

After the death of Prince Svyatopolk in 1113, a population revolted in Kiev, and the boyars called for Vladimir to reign. Having become the Grand Duke of Kiev, he embarked on reforms.

Prince Vsevolod knew several languages, his son Vladimir was also an educated person. According to philologist Nikolai Shlyakov in the study “On the teachings of Vladimir Monomakh” (1900), “... Monomakh’s education was more than simple literacy and well-readness ...” His literary heritage is the famous “The Teaching”, an autobiographical story about “ways and catches” and already quoted letter to Prince Oleg Svyatoslavich.

“The Teaching of Vladimir Monomakh” is a kind of spiritual testament, moral instruction to children and grandchildren.

Other scholars highly value the content of “The Teaching” associating it with the personality of Vladimir. “Our ancient Rus’ left us a wonderful legacy in this testament of Monomakh. Reading it, we seem to listen to simple and wise speeches of the best of sovereigns, and we see this prince: a strong, firm, strong faith in God, strong love of his people, a conciliator and formidable defender of the fatherland”, - writes Ivan Khrushchov in the book “Vladimir Monomakh... “

Vladimir Monomakh died on May 19, 1125 near Pereyaslavl, near the Saints Boris and Gleb Church built by him. He was buried in the place that he had long chosen: in the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Kiev, next to the body of his father, Grand Duke of Kiev Vsevolod Yaroslavich, and his brother, Prince Rostislav.